Does Too Much Sun Or Heat Exposure Affect Hair Growth?

Too little and too much of everything is said to be bad for one’s health or well-being, does this also go for hair growth? Does too much sun or heat exposure affect hair growth?

Yes, too much sun or heat exposure can indeed affect hair growth, but this actually depends on the definition of “too much”, an individual’s predisposition to hair loss, and his/her overall health, so how does too much sun or heat exposure affect hair growth?

Too Much Sun Means Too Much UV Exposure

The sun’s rays contain a light radiation called ultraviolet light. Exposure to ultraviolet light has both good and bad effects. The good effect of UV exposure to the body is it stimulates the synthesis of Vitamin D into its active form; it also stimulates melanin production and is used to treat skin conditions such as vitiligo and psoriasis. This if the body has minimal or enough exposure to the ultraviolet light.

7Damaging effects arise if the human body is exposed to ultraviolet rays in a longer time. The skin usually takes the first battering, and the UV exposure causes DNA changes in the skin cells, which lead to cancer formation.

Recently, UV rays are also found to damage the scalp, particularly the hair follicles, where hair begins to grow. This is because the hair follicles are also susceptible or vulnerable to the damaging effects of UV light. Once the hair follicles are damaged, hair growth can be altered of affected.

Another effect of UV rays to the scalp is it halts the concentration of Vitamins C and E in the scalp. These vitamins are essential to the promotion of healthy epithelial cells that make up the scalp and hair follicles. Too much exposure to the UV rays destroys these vitamins, and leave the scalp with poorly nourished.

The destruction of epithelial cells and the dissipation of the vitamins that nourish it affect hair growth. It could lead to thin, brittle and damaged hair. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can permanently damage the follicles and may lead to hair loss.

Too Much Heat Can Damage The Hair Follicles

Aside from too much exposure from the UV rays of the sun, heat alone (either from the sun or other sources) can also affect hair growth. How? Too much heat exposure can damage the hair follicles; it causes the follicles to shrink and causes the epithelial cells to die. Epithelial cells that make up the root of the hair are responsible for the new growth of the hair. When these are damaged, hair growth is altered. Heat exposure can be due to perming or blow drying. Constant, excessive or prolonged treatment of hair with these methods can cause damage to the hair follicles.

What to Note:

Though these factors may cause certain changes in the hair follicles, we have to remember that these alone cannot cause baldness or alopecia. Genetics, predisposition, one’s overall health are also factors to be considered.

This article on hair and beauty is written by Donna Wilks for the site www.aestheticallyyou.co.uk. Donna is an author of many web-based articles on skin and hair care, cosmetics and aesthetics.